The Bite of the Wolf
by RockRightNow
Summary: It was cold here. Very cold. Especially when sitting in a partially destroyed warehouse in northern Russia while a blizzard was going on outside. Rated T for a few swears. SoapxOC. Major fluffiness.


Capt. John 'Soap' MacTavish:

"Hey, Soap," said a voice from behind me. "You met the newbie yet? She's moppin' the floor with Roach and Ghost at poker." I turned to see Price behind me. From the mess, I heard a cry of victory and the bitter groan of defeat. Price smiled. "I'm going to guess she just won."  
>"Wait," I said, realization dawning on me. "She?" Price nodded. "Lieutenant Gwen 'Wolf' Saunders. Recommended over 20 times to be accepted into the one-four-one," Price explained. "She's really good at poker and certainly has her wits about her. Outspoke Roach. You should've been there. It was grand."<br>"Ha! Take that, you loser!" cried a laughing voice. Price turned and waved for me to follow him.  
>"Come on," he said. "Come meet her. I think you'll like her."<p>

Capt. John 'Soap' MacTavish:

Price and I walked into the mess and were greeted by Ghost sprawled on the ground on his back. Roach was leaning against the wall and watching with a grin on his face. Floating around in the air and dropping to the groud, there were the cards. The table to the left was toppled. I noticed there was a pair of big, black sunglasses lying abandoned on the floor beside the table. Beside Ghost, her back to us, was a girl. She was doing a little victory dance.  
>"Oh, Ghost," Price said. "You didn't let the newbie beat you in poker and wrestling, did you?" The girl laughed.<br>"He sure did!" she chuckled. "I win!" She continued to dance, throwing her hands in the air and sputtering out a fully-hearted beat. She turned in a circle, then caught sight of me. In a split-second, she straightened right up, a hand flying to her forehead in a salute. "S-Sir, I-uh-didn't know there was-" Price cut her off by laughing.  
>"As you were, Lieutenant," Price said. "You don't have to salute Soap."<br>"Yeah," chimed in Ghost from the floor. "He's not so important." The lieutenant looked at me nervously. "I-uh-just don't want to show any disrespect, sir," she sputtered. A second ago, I would've never believed that this girl-Gwen-was a soldier, other than the proof of a defeated Ghost on the floor. Now, there's nothing to say she isn't. Saluting a commanding officer when they enter the room, even if she didn't know I was one. I smiled at her. Gwen had short, unevenly cut bronze-brown hair that framed her small face perfectly, shaggy bangs covering one of her silvery-blue eyes. She started to lower her hand a little hesitantly, but then, she gestured to Ghost, the cards and the toppled table with an outstretched arm. "Wanna play poker?"

Capt. John 'Soap' MacTavish:

"So?" Price said as we watched Gwen and Roach wrestle. Gwen pulled Roach into a headlock. "What did I tell you? She's great, right?" After a moment, I smiled.  
>"Yeah," I replied. Roach counteracted Gwen's headlock and pinned her, letting out a laugh. "Ha! You can't defeat the almighty Roach!" Gwen smiled slyly. "That depends," she said. "Prepare to be smashed under my heel!" She laughed maniacally. "Muahahahaha!" I looked at Price and said,<br>"Yeah," I echoed myself. "She's...different." Gwen's head snapped up and she glared at me, fire in her eyes.  
>"I heard that!" she shouted. "You're next!"<p>

Lt. Gwen 'Wolf' Saunders:

I flopped on the ground beside the panting Roach, gulping air.  
>"Hey," I said, turning my head. Roach looked back at me. "At least you're better than Ghost. At wrestling, anyway. You're just as bad in poker." Roach sighed in exasperation, I smiled at him and when he looked at me again, I laughed.<br>I sat up and looked around at Soap. I pointed at him and narrowed my eyes, mock evilly. "You're next!" I hissed. Beside him, Price laughed. I smiled and looked down at Roach. "Nice try," I said with a smile. I bent over and looked at him in the eye. "But, no. I win." Roach looked at me, he stuck his tongue out at me. I cracked up at his expression, pushed off the ground and stood. I held out a hand to him. He reached up and took it. I pulled him to his feet. I looked over at Soap. I smiled slyly. Challengingly.  
>"I'm not kidding, Soap. Just try and beat me."<p>

Capt. John 'Soap' MacTavish:

"Wait-what?" I looked in bewilderment at Gwen. "I'm not going to fight you." Gwen narrowed her eyes at me and stared me down. "Oh, really?" she said, putting emphasis on the second word. I nodded. She grinned slyly. "Fine, I guess I'll just have to take on Ghost again." Before Ghost-who was standing behind Gwen-could react, she turned and tackled him to the ground. "Think fast!" "Ah, ha! You won't win! Not again!" Ghost said, pinning the lieutenant face to face. I noticed Gwen's legs wrap around Ghost's waist. She smirked at him. In a blink, Gwen flipped Ghost over her, sending him right into a face plant and ended up standing over him. A viciously victorious smile on her lips as she looked down at him. I felt my mouth drop open. Roach, Price and even Nikolai across the room all looked at Gwen in suprise. "Bloody Hell," I muttered. "Glad I didn't fight her." Ghost sat up, his cheek scraped. A thin trickle of blood coming from his nose.  
>"Ow," he said. "Just...ow, Gwen. That hurt." Gwen smiled down at the defeated Ghost. "Aw, come on," she said. "Is the great Ghost really going to give up that easily?" The 'great' Ghost looked up at Gwen with a mischevious grin.<br>"Of course, not!" he yelled, suddenly leaping to his feet. Catching Gwen by her waist and running with her in his arms. Gwen cried out, finally caught off-guard. She half-heartedly fought back, but was too busy laughing and smiling at him. ***

Capt. John 'Soap' MacTavish:

Over the next few months of living at the Base with all of them, I began to notice that the team-Ghost, Roach, Nikolai, even Price-had all begun to have a sort of...connection to Gwen. To Roach and Ghost, she's a little sister they had to protect. To Nikolai, a very close friend who he could trust his life to. To Price, a beloved student who was about to surpass the master. To me,...I didn't know. A friend, a comrade, defintely. But, I didn't even begin to have the same sort of relationship with Gwen as they did. I just...wasn't close to her like they were. I trusted her, of course, but she was a part of my team, so I had to, but...  
>"Soap," said Price's voice from behind me. I was in the rec room, watching Roach's and Gwen's heated foosball match across the room. "We've got a mission. You and Gwen get suited up."<br>"Me and Gwen?" I said, pushing off the wall I'd been leaning against. Price nodded. "What're we doing?"  
>Price leaned closer and said, "Since you and Gwen are the top-ranked snipers, you've been chosen for this assignment. You and Gwen will be located in an abandoned warehouse across the road from a captive refinery. I'll tell you more after you get ready. You're winter gear is in your room."<br>"Winter gear?" "The refinery is in northern Russia."

Lt. Gwen 'Wolf' Saunders:  
>I sat between Price and Soap in the helicopter as we approached the drop-zone. I leaned back and let my head hit against the frozen metal.<br>"So," I said. "What are we doing, exactly?" I closed my eyes as Price began to explain.  
>"You and Soap will be waiting for the target at the warehouse across the street. You know that. Your target is a weapons dealer that goes by the name 'Grenade'. Just wait for our signal and then shoot."<p>

Capt. John 'Soap' MacTavish:

It was cold here. Very cold. Especially when sitting in a partially destroyed warehouse in northern Russia while a blizzard was going on outside. What was HQ trying to do?  
>Turn us into highly skilled ice cubes? Gwen and I were both decked out in military-grade snow-gear, but the chill still cut through to my bones. Having Gwen there was a comfort, though. She and I huddled together beside a shattered window. Our sniper rifles balanced on the low window-sil.<br>"No sign of the target," Gwen said into her comm radio, peering through her scope. "Wait," replied Price into our ears. "They're coming."  
>"Rodger," said Gwen, pulling away from her scope.<br>"Radio silence, copy?"  
>"Copy."<p> 


End file.
